Mumbai bridge collapse: Court repeatedly told railways, BMC to stop fighting

MUMBAI: In over two years since the September 2017 Elphinstone Road bridge stampede, the Bombay high court has repeatedly stepped in to end sparring between railways and BMC over jurisdiction matters when it comes to repairing or reconstructing dangerous bridges. Once the court even scathingly remarked: Railways is important for Mumbai, but is Mumbai important for railways?
At a hearing on August 2, 2018, Chief Justice Naresh Patil asked railways and BMC to not let disputes over land and finance come in the way of commuters’ safety.“Give priority to foot over-bridges (FOBs) that are in bad condition. The railway administration must take into account the existing condition of bridges as it concerns the lives of citizens. Day by day, it is becoming difficult to travel by trains. Suburban railways is Mumbai’s lifeline, you have to take care of it. Don’t stall construction of bridges due to finances or jurisdiction,” the court had said, seeking an urgent audit and repair of vulnerable bridges. The court's remarks were made on a suo motu writ petition that was filed years ago, in 2006, by Bandra resident Swati Trivedi about the condition of the Bandra FOB that is used by lakhs of commuters.
The HC had in 2006 ordered the railways to construct a new central FOB, widen the existing FOB that connects the west side and all platforms to the east side. While the railways constructed the central FOB, the widening of the existing one wasn’t done. It was only 13 years later, in January 2019, that the railways said it would complete the construction of an extension bridge to link the FOBs to the skywalk on the east side.
A few days later, at another hearing on August 7, the high court asked the authorities not to endanger commuters’ lives. The court asked the general managers of Central and Western Railway, as well as commissioners of BMC and MMRDA, to meet regularly to discuss the problems ailing Mumbai’s suburban railways. “Prioritize work on old bridges that are not safe for commuters,” the court had said. At the hearing, the BMC informed the court that the railways had asked the corporation to shell out Rs 27 crore for the construction and maintenance of bridges that pass over railway property. The BMC said it had asked the railways for a bifurcation of expenses.
Petitions in connection with the Elphinstone Road stampede and Andheri’s Gokhale bridge crash (July 2018) are pending before the high court. One of the petitioners, activist Pradeep Bhalekar, sought that top railway officers be booked for culpable homicide in both cases. His counsel, advocate Nitin Satpute, told TOI he would on Friday seek an urgent hearing of the PILs.